Fire-kindler



(No Model.)

- A. W. HALL.

FIRE KINDLER. No. 318,246. Patented May 19', 1885.

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UNITED S ATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WINSLOW HALL, OF PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE.

FIRE-KINDLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,246, dated May 19, 1885.

Application filed December 534, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED WINSLOW HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Presque Isle, in the county of Aroostook and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful improvement for kindling fires, sure in its operation and without danger; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in fire-kindlers; and it consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and adaptation of devices, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The object of this invention is toprovide a device for kindling fires, which maybe readily introduced and withdrawn through the bars of a grate and in a form to produce a large flame or igniting surface, at the same time reducing the expense of manufacture to a minimum. These objects I attain by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a perspective view.

Heretofore fire-kindlers have been provided in which asbestus is placed in a conoidalshaped receptacle formed of wire, having a cap at one end to close the same, and a rodhandle passed longitudinally through the asbestus, and headed to secure the conoidal' tip to the cup-shaped base. Others have been provided in which a shell is peculiarly constructed in two sections having fiat sides, the sections being slotted or perforated and provided with a wire handle.

In carrying out my invention, I take a sufficient quantity of asbestus, usually about three inches in length when pressed, the pressure being applied so as to have it present opposite flat sides, so that the same may (No model.)

pass between the bars of an ordinary grate. I then provide a wire or other suitable handle, B, which, in the construction illustrated, is of loop form at its end, the opposite ends of its branches a a having a sufficient portion bent in opposite directions to form securingarms I) b. asbestus, as shown.

C 0 indicate binding-wires, which are tightly wrapped around the trunk of the asbestus, the rear one being passed over the branches of the handle, so as to firmly hold its 5 5 short arms in engagement with the said asbestus or other non-combustible material, A. By this construction, it will be seen that there is but little of the asbestus fiber covered by the binding-wires or the engaging: parts of the handle, thus affording a large flame or igniting surface for the oil or other combustible fluid into which the asbestus is dipped or submerged, consequently affording but little means for conducting heat through the wire handle to the hands of the manipulator.

This device is simple in construction, effective in its use, and can be manufactured at much less cost than those at present in use.

Having described this invention, what I 7o These arms are inserted into the 50 

